Therapists for college students near Portland, OR
I am a social worker, musician, and expressive arts therapist. I believe everyone is innately creative, and each person has within them what they need to heal and change. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Oregon and Louisiana, and a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT). I use a multi-arts, or intermodal, approach in individual and group therapy and facilitating. This means I use movement, visual art, music, writing, and mindfulness as therapeutic tools to initiate healing and change. Since this work is based on the creative process and not the resulting product, no background or training in the arts is required to benefit.
My approach to counseling is collaborative, compassionate, patient, and kind. I will focus on understanding you where you are at without judgement, so that you can have greater acceptance of yourself and your experience, and be able to be vulnerable and honest with someone who cares as you navigate the challenges you face. I don't believe that there are any "quick fixes" in therapy - rather, I see counseling as more like a journey of lasting change, personal growth, and self-development, one that can be achieved in relationship with someone who can support you and your process. My work focuses on people at all stages of life who are working through developmental transitions (leaving home, starting or ending a relationship, experiencing big life changes, etc.) who want to better understand who they are, and how they can become the best version of themself using the strengths they have within themselves. I help people to understand themselves and their patterns so they can identify and gain insight about their thoughts, feelings, and identify blind-spots to be able to make choices and move forward in a direction that feels best for them.
I specialize in using somatic-based therapy with primarily work with LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC adults. I have experience with a range of challenges including depression, anxiety, identity, life transitions, and healing from trauma. I collaborate with clients to explore the parts of themself that have been disowned, the parts that deserve to be seen, and the parts that are yet to be discovered. I embrace living with authenticity and integrity and will use these values to help you create the relationships with yourself and others that you desire. Within therapy sessions, I listen for ways to foster connections between your body and mind. I combine somatic, narrative, and relational approaches to focus on the bridge between thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations and may also encourage you to tap into the wisdom of your ancestors and nature. Together we will create a space where you feel seen, heard, and encouraged in exploring areas for self-growth. As a queer, non-binary, Chinese/Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) person, I understand the impact of cross-generational trauma and colonialism on all bodies. I practice solo polyamory in my relationships and have experience with monogamy, marriage, and multiracial/blended families. Outside of therapy, I indulge in self-led pastry tours, explore new music, immerse myself in nature, and deepen my avian knowledge while playing Wingspan. If you're ready to embark on a journey of self-exploration and emotional healing within a culturally-affirming space, contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.
Are you struggling with burnout, feeling stressed and overwhelmed by big decisions in your life? Do you dream about living a more wholehearted, vibrant, and meaningful life? I support folks on a path towards developing more nourishing relationships, a better understanding their emotions, and living a life aligned with their values. My clients are people who are dealing with burnout, anxiety, depression, or are facing big life transitions. I look forward to supporting you in developing skills and insight to lead a fulfilling life.
Are you struggling to find your purpose or understand the direction your life is taking? Do you grapple with questions of identity or acceptance? Does uncertainty often cloud your thoughts? If any of this resonates with you, or if you're seeking a deeper understanding of your life, I am here to guide you on your journey. I understand the profound importance of finding representation and connecting with someone who shares or understands similar narratives. It can be challenging to trust that a therapist truly relates to your experiences, especially during life’s most difficult moments. I specialize in supporting BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities, as well as individuals living with SPMI. My approach integrates mindfulness, trauma-informed care, CBT, and other evidence-based practices to address your unique needs. Together, we will collaborate to identify and outline those needs in a safe and supportive environment. My life mantra is: Every day is a teaching moment. Each action and experience presents an opportunity to grow, learn, and evolve. With these moments, we are gifted tools that help guide us forward. Let’s uncover those tools and embark on this transformative journey together.
please check out my website for the best overview of my practice.
I have over 15 years of experience as a Clinical Psychologists. My integrative approach to treatment is rooted in evidence-based practices that honor the uniqueness of each individual and combine the strengths of Emotion Focused Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy. I treat individuals and couples who are struggling with anxiety, depression, interpersonal and work challenges, abusive relationships, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Do you often feel misunderstood and hurt? Do you feel as though your emotions are controlling you and you don’t know what to do to change that? Does it leave you feeling anxious and depressed? I know what that feels like and I can help with that. My Approach to Helping I believe that people are doing the best they can with the information and skills they currently have. I also believe that they can grow and create better lives for themselves with the appropriate support. My approach to helping clients develop the skills to effectively identify, regulate and communicate their emotions, needs and boundaries to others is validating and skills-based. Therapy with me is relational, non-judgmental, body positive, sex positive and LGBTQ+ and poly competent. My Personal Beliefs and Interests I'm a psychologist and certified alcohol and drug counselor. I have a background in research (on behavior change) and loved working in academia for a long time, before transitioning to working in community mental health for a few years. I love being a therapist. I am also a mother and an immigrant with strong progressive values and I bring that to the table as well. I believe that Black Lives Matter and that community action is more powerful than waiting for government to act in our best interest. I bring this perspective to my work.
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I can manage most all needs for psychiatric diagnoses and medication management, if indicated.
COMMON CONDITIONS TREATED: • Anxiety • Bipolar Disorder • Depression • Alcohol Use Disorder • Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders • Schizophrenia • ADHD • Schizophrenia • Psychosis • Anger management • Military trauma • grief Session Our first session will be scheduled for around 50-60 mins. Our goal will be to systematically explore the past and present elements affecting your life so we can establish and/or confirm a diagnosis and the appropriate level of care for you. Before our session, you will receive documents for you to fill out. Assessment can be lengthily at times and prefilled documents can ease us into a more enjoyable conversation. We will also go over the rules and regulations to preserve safety and lay the framework for your treatment. After our first session, follow up appointments are usually between 25-30 mins long and the frequency of the sessions can be decided by medication management and therapeutic outcomes. Because every case can be different from the next one, your treatment will be tailored to your need. The complexity of your case will determine the adjustments to your treatment plan. When pertinent, we will do our best to provide you with complementary services from around your community. I hope to do this all while helping you feel as comfortable as possible. Given that some topics can be challenging, some questions can be addressed in more detail in following sessions as you become more acquainted with me and the rest of our team. We will treat you, not just your symptoms and diagnos
Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and eventually moved to Portland where she began a career focusing on helping individuals and families learn to heal and thrive. With experience working in healthcare and public education, Michelle understands the complexities and demands that so many members of our community experience. She is committed to addressing cultural issues around bias, racism, equity, and injustices for communities of color and those with diverse backgrounds. Her engagement with anti-racism learning is active, ongoing, and explicit. Michelle is collaborative, encouraging, and playful. She focuses on helping clients to identify their resilience and strength to overcome obstacles, and she offers a safe place to be open and honest without fear of judgment. She has experience working with children and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, women’s health issues, infertility and pregnancy, post-partum, life transitions, parenting issues, and addiction. Michelle approaches therapy with a trauma-informed lens and relies on her background and education in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Michelle believes it is a true privilege to be able to work in this field and to share space with people during some of their hardest and most vulnerable moments. She remains continuously grateful for the opportunity her clients give her, and she is committed to continuing to grow and learn. When Michelle is not practicing, she can be found with her spouse, dog, and their two young children - exploring outdoors, skiing, paddle boarding, enjoying good food, and following that beautiful and often scarce PNW sunshine.
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Jonathan holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in health psychology and community mental health. Jonathan believes that everyone deserves to thrive mentally, physically, and socially in ways that are meaningful to themselves. He is trained in several evidence-based psychotherapies and is currently utilizing trauma- and attachment-informed narrative therapy, Lifespan Integration, EMDR for adults and children. Jonathan has experience working with children, adults, older adults, and families. He works with people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, attention deficits and hyperactivity, parent-child conflicts, and serious mental illness. Jonathan additionally has a background in clinical research. He began as an undergraduate research assistant for the Director at the University of California at Irvine, School of Medicine, Traumatic Stress Program examining the interplay of PTSD, psychiatric interventions, and brain imaging. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, listening to audiobooks, exploring the nature of the Pacific Northwest and volunteering for the Holocaust Survivor Services.
Feeling foggy or like you're in a dream (in a bad way)? Feeling detached from your body or your joy? At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, I'm passionate about helping clients feel more present, embodied, and connected whether they're experiencing grief, dissociation (depersonalization or derealization), or burn out. I work best with folks who are motivated to put in work inside and outside of session in order to inch closer to change. There is so much to grieve in the world right now but I'll be alongside you to sit in the messy feelings and cheer on your wins. I use experiential (creative) and somatic (body-focused) techniques for additional ways of processing grief, loss, or disconnection. Experientially, we might write, make art, use music, or create a tangible coping tool you can use. Somatically, this might mean grounding exercises, movement, guided visualizations, or just pausing and noticing the body. Your healing process is important and I don’t believe in taking away coping mechanisms that have allowed you to survive until now. Instead, the idea is to explore different options to help you sift through complicated situations or feelings and help you evaluate what's no longer serving you. Reach out if we might be a good fit. I'd love to hear from you!
I am informal, goofy, sometimes loud, curious, imperfect, and you get all that and more when we start working together. Therapy with me commonly looks like laughing together, sometimes until we cry; actually crying together; laying on the ground; understanding that dark humor is often a necessary coping strategy for whatever life throws at us; talking with my hands; and my facial expressions being apart of the conversation (AKA having real reactions to real shit). Growing up between worlds can get messy, that weird in-between of always trying to fit in. As a transracial/international adoptee, I know how frustrating that pull between cultures and identities can be. Whether you're a fellow adoptee, mixed raced, or 1st gen, we’ll explore those layers - the deep identity stuff, aka the “laugh so you don’t cry” stuff, and find your way back home within the complexity. As a relational, trauma-informed therapist, I believe healing happens through connection. I focus on how your relationships, past and present, shape how you move through the world. My work blends somatic awareness with curiosity and compassion to help you build relationships that feel nourishing, real, and aligned with who you are. Finding the right fit may be time consuming, but shouldn’t be draining. Consults are a brief window into what the therapeutic relationship will look like - like a vibe-check. And if the vibes are right, the hard stuff will come naturally and not feel forced. This is why I offer 25-min consults. Reach out for a consult and let’s take it from there!
The ValueCore philosophy is that you have absolute value based on your intrinsic worth. This is how we see you; and the core from which we offer treatment. With you, we may utilize talk therapy, medication management, education, evaluation, encouragement, accountability, and self-discovery, which leads to insight, direction, and meaningful change. Together we work to foster the realization that happiness is the rule for you and not the exception. As you accept your personal value and implement the changes you need for yourself, we hope you will be free to grow, relax and recreate, socialize, work and serve others, educate, and live a fulfilling life. Now accepting new patients ages 5-64.
After working in the mental health field for nearly 15 years, specifically in crisis intervention, I set out on a new path to work with people before life becomes unbearable. Most recently, I served as a high school mental health counselor. Flexibility and openness are two of my core values. Do you know what you value? Understanding what we care about most and what brings meaning to our lives is essential to living with intention and living well. I believe therapy is about exploring these values along with memories, current circumstances, and feelings in order to help the present-self move forward. Too often we drift through our days without asking for the support we need because it can feel as though we are not worthy of that focus. Please know that you are worthy of that focus because once you do, positive change and growth are not only possible, but inevitable. My passion is to center each person I work with and learn how they experience the world around them. My background thus far has been working with youth and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal ideation, identity issues, self-harm, and school frustration. I hold a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a masters in social work (MSW) from Portland State University. Outside of my work, I love to run, play video games, and have always been into playing/watching sports. There is no song I wouldn't try to karaoke even though I'm, like, an objectively bad singer.
Welcome. Thank you for being here. I offer a warm, person-centered environment where I work collaboratively with clients to help foster positive change that aligns with each person's values and goals. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD or grief, navigating a life transition or relational issues, or healing from trauma, chronic pain or illness, I welcome the opportunity to support you on your healing path. I utilize a trauma-informed approach to work with work with teens,adults and couples, and I am an ardent LGTBQIA+ and BIPOC ally who welcomes people from all cultural backgrounds. Since we are all unique, I first strive to understand your life history, your current challenges, and your goals for therapy. I then utilize techniques, tailored specifically for you, that promote healing. My approach draws upon an eclectic blend of mindfulness and somatic therapies that is informed by over 20 years of teaching yoga and meditation. I believe that everyone can heal and grow, and that having respectful, caring, and attentive support can facilitate profound transformation. If you are going through a challenging time and would like some support, I invite you to reach out. Together we can work towards creating positive change that helps you live a happier, more fulfilling life
Linda is a Licensed Professional Counselor who is an Existentialist and a Rogerian, with a down-to-earth approach. As an Existentialist, she believes that people are at greatest ease when they feel a sense of meaningfulness in their life experiences. Everything that happens to us, shadowy or light-filled, holds valuable lessons for growth and makes us all that we are, and all that we have the potential to be. As a Rogerian, her therapeutic style is to provide safety and unconditional positive regard to those with whom she is working. Rogerian therapists typically believe that through modeling unconditional positive regard to you, you may catch on to the idea and begin to similarly value yourself. The end result is increased self-esteem and efficacy in the world. Linda has been counseling people in the Portland area for over a decade and has extensive training and experience in her field. She is specially trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. These modalities contain practical tools that will help you to recognize unhelpful thought patterns that often have people repeating the same life circumstances over and over. The more we can look at and recognize our contribution to our circumstances, the more likely our circumstances are to improve.